You see a handsome dining-room suite in an expensive furniture store. When you look at the price tag, you are disappointed to see that the price is well beyond your means. The salesperson notices the look on your face and hurries over to offer her assistance.
A: Are you interested in this dining-room suite, sir?
B: Yes, but it's far too expensive for me.
A: It isn't really all that expensive, if you consider that you're getting a nine-piece solid oak dining-room suite for only $5,499.
B: Oh, I thought it was just oak veneer.
A: No, i'ts solid oak.
B: How much is it without the hutch and buffet?
A: I'm sorry we can't sell them separately. I can offer you a special discount of $500 on this display suite. You realize you are buying it as is. The table top has a few scratches on it, but it can easily be touched up.
B: Will that include delivery?
A: No, it'll cost fifty dollars more for delivery within the city limits. I'll book the delivery service for you right away, if you decide to take the suite.
B: Yes, I'll take it.
你在一間昂貴的家具店內看中一套漂亮的飯廳家具，但當你看到價錢牌後，你很失望。因為你發覺價錢超出你的預算，售貨員留意到你的神情，便立即走過來。
甲：先生，你對這套飯廳家具有興趣嗎？
乙：是的。但價錢對我來說實在太貴了。
甲：其實這套家具也不算貴，試想想你衹付五千四百九十九元，便可買到一套九件頭的實橡木飯廳家具。
乙：啊，我還以為那衹是鑲上橡木薄板。
甲：不，那是實橡木呀。
乙：整套若不要放瓷器的高櫥櫃和矮碗碟櫃要賣多少錢？
甲：對不起，我們不能將這套家具分開來賣。若你買這陳列的一套，我可以給你一個特別的折扣，減五百元。不過，你知道你是買這套“現成”的家具，檯面有些劃痕，但很容易修飾過來的。
乙：價錢是否包括運費？
甲：不是，若在市內需另收五十元運費。如果你決定買下這套家具，我便立即替你安排送貨服務。
乙：好，我就買這套吧！
Language Notes語文註解：
(1) Suite——此處解家具組合。Suite另一個解釋是套房。
(2) Solid Oad——實心橡木。
(3) Veneer——鑲在次等木料上的精美薄板。
(4) Hutch——擺放精美瓷器的高身廚櫃。
(5) Buffet——擺放碗碟、刀叉和餐巾的矮櫃。有Survival English for New Canadians錄音帶的讀者請留意 Buffet的讀音。
(6) Display——陳列。
(7) As is——照此現狀。貨品若指明“As is”便是指貨品並非全新或是有些徹微瑕疪。
(8) Scratch——劃痕。
(9) Touth up——修飾或輕微的修補。
(10 ) Delivery——送貨。在此處Delivery其實是指 delivery cost，即運費。
(11) Book——預訂。
(12) Right away=immediately——立刻。
(13) Take=accept——此處take解接受。
